Device for the automatic evisceration of slaughtered animal carcasses

ABSTRACT

Apparatus intended for implementation in a high speed industrial slaughter house for the automatic evisceration of slaughtered animal carcasses including an automatic mechanical distribution and anal obstructor system, and a mobile structure supporting a circular blade for ventral incision, a circular saw for progressive penetration into the sternum, and nozzles projecting water at an adjustable pressure for disengaging the entrails from the path of the cutting tools.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The object of the present invention is a device for the automaticevisceration of slaughtered animal carcasses. It is intended forimplementation in a high-speed industrial slaughter house.

2. Discussion of Background and Material Information

In the devices constructed up until the present invention, thesectioning elements often perforated the intestines as a result ofpenetrating too deeply during the incision which permits the extractionof the entrails, especially due to imprecision of mechanical positioningmethods. As a result, up until now most of the equipment was unusable topermit high speed treatment in industrial slaughter houses, just as theycould not detach the lard from the pig carcasses.

Also, the Veterinary Hygiene Services of the European Community requirea procedure to obstruct the anal orifice of slaughtered animals.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The device according to the present invention eliminates these drawbacksand allows, even when performing high speed work, to proceedautomatically to seal the anal orifice and assure the longitudinal cutin the ventral surface of the carcasses at the same time as that of thebony part of the sternum, without it being possible to reach theentrails.

The device according to the present invention is composed of of anautomatic mechanical distribution and anal obstructor installationsystem, a moveable frame supporting a circular blade for the incision ofthe ventral part, a circular saw for progressive penetration in thesternum and an ensemble for disengaging the entrails from the path ofthe cutting tools, including nozzles projecting water at an adjustablepressure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the attached drawings, given as a non-limiting example, of one of theforms of construction of the object of the invention:

FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate two variations of the distribution and analobstructor installation system.

FIG. 3 illustrates an anal obstructor on another scale.

FIG. 4 is a view of the ensemble of the evisceration device, from anelevated view and in a lengthwise section.

FIG. 5 illustrates the tilting table seen from the front.

The device, FIGS. 1-5, is implanted near a rail 7 on which the carcasses4 are hung on hooks 19 pulled by a chain 6, and is constituted of ananal obstructor distribution system, of a moveable frame 22 verticallycarrying a tilting table 8 and the means to incise the ventral part ofthe carcasses, of a cutting tool 2 to section the entrails, of nozzles17, 18, 28, to project water.

The goal of the distribution and anal obstructor installation system isto complete the clipping ensemble of the anus in order to resolve theproblem of the materials contained in the intestine which can spill onor in the carcass 4. This obstructor 44 is preferably hollow andconically-shaped, molding the end of the centering mandrel 42 of therectum clipping tool, and is made in a similar plastic material. Itpermits an easy introduction into the inside of the anus, while scrapingwhatever adheres to the internal walls, thus assuring the cleanliness ofthe centering mandrel 42, thanks to a peripheral collar 43 which alsopermits the obstructor to be held in place.

An automatic stacking distributor 45 (FIG. 1) takes the obstructors 44one by one on the trajectory of the mandrel 42. When the mandrel meetsthe obstructor, it is held on the end of it by a vacuum created by atube 46. Once penetration into the anus 41 is finished, the vacuum isbroken and a blowing detaches the obstructor 44.

In a variation on the construction, the automatic distributor consistsof two bobbins 47, (FIG. 2) which unwind constructed of front of themandrel 42 a precut band 48 in plastic or the equivalent. The precutpart 49 is freed and moved by the push of the mandrel 42 at the momentof its penetration into the anus.

The carcass 4 then presents the ventral part 10 on the table 8 in avertical position. By a central opening in the table, the circular blade1, driven by the motor 35 and the circular saw 3 open at the same time,respectively, the stomach 10 and the sternum 9 by movement towards thebase of the frame 22 by the effect of screw jack 23, while thepressurized water projected by the nozzle 17 holds the entrails 12 awayfrom the cutting elements. At the end of the operation, information istransmitted to the screw jack 11 which brings the table 8 back into ahorizontal position. The carcass is then pulled by the chain 6, theventral part 10 towards the bottom, and first encounters the sectioningtool 2 which will detach the entrails 12 separated by the pressurizedwater projected by the nozzles 18, and an arm 31 attached to an axis 33activated by the jack screw 32 and carrying a nozzle 28 supplied by asupple conduit 30, whose function, in the case of pig carcasses, is todetach the lard 29 by a very strong pressure regulated by the pressuregauge 27.

The circular saw 3 driven by the motor 34 is mounted on an arm attachedto an axis 20 activated by a screw jack 21 to progressively penetrateinto the carcass 4, the sternum being thinner on the ventral side thanbetween the shoulders.

The pressurized water is furnished by a pump 24. Adjusting the differentpressures according to the parts to be treated requires several pressuregauges 25, 26, 27.

The position of the different constitutive elements gives the devicemaximum useful effects which had not been obtained up until now bysimilar devices.

I claim:
 1. Apparatus for automatic evisceration of slaughtered animalcarcasses for implementation in a high-speed industrial slaughter housewhich automatically obstructs the anal orifice of a carcass and ensuresa longitudinal cut of the ventral surface of the carcass at the sametime as the bony portion of the sternum without reaching the entrails,comprising:an automatic mechanical distribution and anal obstructorsystem; a vertically movable frame; a tilting table supported on saidvertically movable frame, said tilting table including means defining aslot through which a circular incision blade passes for cutting theventral surface of the carcass, and through which a circular saw passesfor progressive penetration of the sternum; a sectioning tool fordetaching the entrails of the carcass; and means for clearing theentrails of the carcass from a cutting path of said circular incisionblade and said circular saw, said means for clearing comprising nozzlesfor projecting water under an adjustable pressure.
 2. The apparatusaccording to claim 1, further including a pump for supplying water tosaid nozzles.
 3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein saidautomatic mechanical distribution and anal obstructor system includes ananal obstructor, and said anal obstructor comprises a conical cup. 4.The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said conical cup includes aperipheral collar at its base portion.
 5. The apparatus according toclaim 3, wherein said conical cup is hollow.
 6. The apparatus accordingto claim 5, wherein said conical cup is constructed of a plasticmaterial.
 7. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said automaticmechanical distribution and anal obstructor system includes a group ofconical cups which are stacked within means for storing the group ofconical cups.
 8. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein saidautomatic mechanical distribution and anal obstructor system furtherincludes a centering mandrel associated with a rectum clipping tool,with a distribution system for distributing said conical cups, one afterthe other, as said centering mandrel is positioned between an anus of acarcass and its return location waiting for passage of the next carcass.9. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said each conical cup isshaped to fit on said centering mandrel.
 10. The apparatus according toclaim 7, wherein said distribution system permits automatic distributionby pressure of the anal obstructors on a trajectory of said centeringmandrel as it moves to penetrate into the anus.
 11. The apparatusaccording to claim 10, wherein, during penetration of said centeringmandrel into the anus, said automatic mechanical distribution and analobstructor system permits an anal obstructor to be held on an end ofsaid centering mandrel by vacuum, and permits the anal obstructor to bedetached by blowing.
 12. The apparatus according to claim 11, whereinsaid automatic mechanical distribution and anal obstructor systemincluding tube means for creating a vacuum.
 13. The apparatus accordingto claim 10, wherein said distribution system includes two bobbinspermitting a precut strip to unwind in front of the centering mandrel,with the precut plastic strip being capable of being freed and drawn bysaid centering mandrel upon its penetration into the anus.
 14. Theapparatus according to claim 13, wherein said precut strip is composedof a plastic material.
 15. The apparatus according to claim 1, furtherincluding motors for activating said vertically movable frame whichsupports said tilting table permitting said vertically movable frame todescend the length of a stomach of a carcass to enable simultaneousopening of the ventral and sternum portions of the carcass, and to raiseto a waiting position for a next carcass.
 16. The apparatus according toclaim 15, wherein said circular saw is mounted onto an arm attached toan axis, a screw jack being mounted to the axis to provide progressivemovement to the circular saw to cut the sternum.
 17. The apparatusaccording to claim 16, further including nozzles supplied by a watersupply conduit, said nozzles being mounted on a jointed arm which enablethe nozzles to reach the lard of the carcass as the carcass passes, andto detach the lard by water pressure.
 18. The apparatus according toclaim 17, further including a pump for supplying said nozzle mounted onthe jointed arm with water.
 19. The apparatus according to claim 17,further including pressure gauges for regulating water pressure.
 20. Theapparatus according to claim 18, further including a screw jack foractivating the joined arm.